Posted on 03/26/2019 3:07:29 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
WEST PALM BEACH, FL. A scheduled arraignment for New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been canceled. The hearing was originally scheduled for Thursday morning in Florida.
Lawyers for Kraft filed a document Tuesday reaffirming his plea of not guilty and asking the judge to schedule a jury trial for the case.
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Kraft's attorneys also waived his right to an arraignment, the formal court hearing in which the charges against a defendant are read.
Tuesday's filing seems to represent a change of strategy for Kraft's legal team, which had originally filed paperwork in February requesting a nonjury trial.
Kraft and other men were charged by the Palm Beach State Attorney's Office with soliciting prostitution at an illicit massage parlor. He was also offered the opportunity to enter a diversion program, which would have required him to concede he would be found guilty if the case went to trial.
Kraft rejected that offer earlier this month.
According to police records, the 77-year-old Kraft was chauffeured to the massage parlor in a 2014 white Bentley on the evening of Jan. 19, where officers said they secretly videotaped him engaging in a sex act and then handing over an undetermined amount of cash.
Investigators said Kraft returned 17 hours later, arriving at the upper-middle class shopping center where the spa was located in a chauffeured 2015 blue Bentley, the documents said. Kraft, who is worth $6 billion, was videotaped engaging in sex acts before paying with a $100 bill and another bill, police said. Hours later, he was in Kansas City for the Patriots victory over the Chiefs in the AFC championship game. His team then won the Super Bowl in Atlanta, the Patriots' sixth NFL championship under his ownership.
Over the weekend, Kraft released an apologetic statement about the case.
"I am truly sorry," read part of Kraft's statement. "I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard."
Here is the full statement from Kraft:
In deference to the judicial process, I have remained silent these past several weeks. To correct some of the misinformation surrounding this matter, my attorney made his first public comments on Friday night. I would like to use this opportunity to say something that I have wanted to say for four weeks.
I am truly sorry. I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard.
Throughout my life, I have always tried to do the right thing. The last thing I would ever want to do is disrespect another human being. I have extraordinary respect for women; my morals and my soul were shaped by the most wonderful woman, the love of my life, who I was blessed to have as my partner for 50 years.
As I move forward, I hope to continue to use the platform with which I have been blessed to help others and to try to make a difference. I expect to be judged not by my words, but by my actions. And through those actions, I hope to regain your confidence and respect.
There are plenty of women that dont mind wanking off an old dude for $100, they dont have to be forced into doing it.
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You wouldn’t happen to know their numbers, would ya?
Asking for a friend.
He does know he will get a bunch of Dolphins fans right?
“Just seems an odd thing to do.”
It’s his right to do so, and since an arraignment is a public action wherein he would have to stand before a judge and enter a plea with the world watching, he just wants to forego the publicity.
At least one of the Bentley’s belonged to his friend who drove him there.
Use the Algore happy ending defense...
Perhaps he too was on his way to a rub and tug at the local massage parlor.
Bentley and Rolls have dismal resale values due to the insane cost of maintenance and repairs. That $200,000 Bentley from a couple of years ago could be bought now for $20,000-$35,000. If your brother in law is Nigel the mechanic originally from London, you could have a really great car for peanuts.
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